Overview

Commonly referred to as Asian, Chinese, or Korean ginseng, Panax ginseng has a rich, millenia-old history of use in traditional folk medicine as an all-around health tonic, and is now used all around the world today.1

Gingseng’s benefits are believed to stem from its adaptogenic nature;2similar to other adaptogens, ginseng helps the body adapt to all forms of physical, mental, and environmental stress.

The ginseng family. The ginseng family includes 11 plant species. Among them all, Panax ginseng has demonstrated the strongest capacity to boost health and wellness to the extent that is considered a remedy for certain ailments and illnesses. Other prominent plants sharing the ginseng name include American ginseng, Siberian ginseng, Japanese ginseng, and crown prince ginseng.3

American Ginseng (left). Panax Ginseng (right).

How Ginseng Might Help With Stress

The potential stress-alleviating activity of ginseng is believe to be related to compounds known as ginsenosides; ginseng carries 30+ types of ginsenosides.

Increasing mood neurotransmitters

Although the exact mechanism behind the process is still being investigated, ginseng does seem to exert an influence on the central nervous system (CNS), and its consumption has been associated with elevated levels of neurotransmitters linked to positive mood, including dopamine, noradrenaline, serotonin.4

In this randomized, double-blind investigation, 625 adults under physical and mental stress took either a multivitamin capsule or a Pharmaton Capsule consisting of vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and ginseng extract G115 every day for 12 weeks. Compared to the 6.4 average increase in subjective quality of life ratings for the multivitamin group, the ginseng group had a significantly superior average increase at 11.9 points.

The researchers concluded that “Pharmaton Capsules were more effective than the multivitamin capsules alone in improving the quality-of-life in a population subjected to the stress of high physical and mental activity.”10

In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation, 90 patients with idiopathic chronic fatigue (ICF) were given either a placebo or 1 gram of P. ginseng daily for 4 weeks. According to a self-rated numeric scale (NRS) and a visual analogue scale (VAS), patients given P. ginseng were found to have reduced mental and physical fatigue compared to those taking the placebo.

The researchers concluded that “results provide the first evidence of the antifatigue effects of P. ginseng in patients with ICF, and we submit that these changes in antioxidant properties contribute in part to its mechanism.”12Anti-stress effects of Ginkgo biloba and Panax ginseng: a comparative study.

This review reported the results of several studies examining the effects of ginseng on stress caused by various factors, namely cold exposure, work stress (industrial fatigue), and stress caused by illness (cold/flu). In the randomized, placebo-controlled cold exposure trial, 90 adults took a placebo, powdered red ginseng root (RG), or nifedipine (NP) and then underwent a cold stress test. The cold stress test had little effect on the blood pressure of the placebo and RG groups. Compared to the other groups, the RG group had a lower heart rate and significantly better ice water tolerance time (IWTT), which suggests a calmer reaction to stress.

In the work stress study, 23 taxi drivers were given RG or placebo, and RG was found to improve mental fatigue and related symptoms. Finally, in the cold study, RG was found to alleviate cold and flu symptoms and reduce the number of infections.

The researchers concluded that “We have performed several clinical studies on the human stress model and have reportedt hat red ginseng (RG) has clear anti-stress action.”13

Do not mix ginseng with NSAIDS. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), particularly aspirin, are believed to interact with and possibly reduce the effects of Panax ginseng and similar herbs.14

Available Forms

A raw herb or organic dried root, 1 – 2 g

Chewable tablet or softgel, in 50 – 100 mg serving sizes

Powder, often encapsulated

Ginsana®, a patented ginseng supplement that uses G115®, a ginseng extract commonly used in clinical studies

Supplements in Review Says

Panax ginseng seems to help the body cope with stress. Although research pertaining specifically to stress is somewhat lacking, ginseng seems to help the body cope with different kinds of physiological stressors such as fatigue from physical exertion, mental fatigue, and cold temperatures.

Take 200 – 400 mg of standardized Panax ginseng. Start with a 200 mg dose of P. ginseng root extract containing 4 – 8% ginsenosides, and then increase the amount for up to 400 mg per day based on need.